


Just Saving You

by tsukkeilate (hishirin)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 23:11:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16881045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hishirin/pseuds/tsukkeilate
Summary: In the midst of battle against the supernatural, Wakatoshi swore that he’d never get attached again. That he’d never have any weaknesses that would be his downfall. After the fall of his clan, he vowed to never trust the mythical beings that roam rampant with their sweetly false and empty promises.Never again.But Wakatoshi was never born out of hatred and vengeance anyway, despite the grave misfortune that befell on him.So saving the karastengu felt like a right choice.





	Just Saving You

Ushijima Wakatoshi was the sole survivor of the Ushijma Clan, the fool who led everyone to their deaths. Guilt eats his soul away, until there was nothing but despair and hopelessness in its wake. He was ready to commit  _seppuku_ , to repent for the sins he had done when he was found by Tendou Satori of the Shiratorizawa Clan who took him in after displaying his prowess in swordsmanship and his peculiar left handed alignment during an ambush, just when he was about to cut his belly open. Tanji Washijo, the head of the Shiratorizawa, took interest in him after Satori’s narration of his skill. 

“Instead of throwing your life away like the lost fool you are, join us eradicate these demons that plague humanity. If you want to restore your honor and regain your soul from the disgrace you’ve committed.” Washijo told him, his eyes burning in hatred and determination that Wakatoshi had never seen in his life. He accepted Washijo’s invitation and was promptly welcomed by the clan who taught him the basics and techniques when encountering the Supernatural. 

When Wakatoshi killed his first demon, an unfortunate  _yokai_ , he felt a small sense of satisfaction. Perhaps this is what they call vengeance, a powerful thing that could make even the most pure drunk in the evil of hatred. 

So the swordsman pursued Shiratorizawa’s propaganda in eradicating the supernatural that caused the very death of his clan and brought great disgrace to him. For years, he became the bane of these demons’ existence, alongside with his comrades. He quickly became one of Washijo’s elite men, for his innate skill in archery and his prowess in swordplay.

He became a hero of men, and monster of yokai. Wakatoshi paid no heed of what he was to others, as long as he could fulfill his job he’s satisfied. 

However, he questioned his morality when he stumbled upon an injured child of the  _Tengu_  in the Woods, after sniping its wings with one of his arrows laced with poison. 

The child in question have a very messy but bright orange hair, black  _hakama_  and a pair of black wings that laid behind him in attempt to cushion his fall. He looked no more than fifteen, but his wings suggested he’s around half century or so; still a child in the  _Tengu_  culture.  

The child looked at him with his bright eyes brimming with emotion. Wakatoshi swore that he never saw anyone look at him with such tremendous amount of fear, despair and helplessness as this  _Tengu_  in front of him. It made him uncomfortable,  _inhumane_ , as if he was that should be removed in the world all along. 

“Please…” The child croaked, snapping Wakatoshi from his reverie, “if you’re about to end me, do it painlessly so that I may not fear death in my final moments.” He pleaded with a broken voice full of resignation. 

Something inside Wakatoshi snapped, like a stick being cleanly broken into two. A revelation was made before him; he was as much victim as they are. No matter what the reason, no matter what the grudge, there is no correct side in this war. All of these acts of violence and bloodshed are futile because in the end, no side will yield as the winner. 

Wakatoshi walked towards the  _Tengu_ , crouching low and removing a vial of antidote in his weapons belt, “don’t move.” He said, giving the Tengu the vial, “and drink this.”

The  _Tengu’s_  eyes widened at the merciful gesture, and did not hesitate to take the vial and drink it in one gulp whilst Wakatoshi tended to the wounds of the other. When he was done, he got up to immediately leave and inteded to turn a blind eye on what happened when the  _Tengu_  grabbed and tugged his sleeve.

“Thank you.” The  _Tengu_  smiled at him, a smile so innocent that made Wakatoshi guilty of trying to kill him earlier. “I’ll never forget your mercy.” 

“Don’t thank me.” Wakatoshi said, tugging his sleeve back, “the next time we meet, I’ll show no mercy.” 

“My name is Hinata.” The  _Tengu_  said suddenly, “Hinata Shouyo. If I were to die at your hands, then, I’d die in peace knowing that you showed me mercy once.” 

“Don’t be stupid.” Wakatoshi told him, “if you die by my hand, it meant that you’re too weak to take the advantage of second chance. Weaklings like you don’t deserve to live in this world to begin with.” 

“Rude.” Shouyo said, sounding offended and frowned, “I don’t like wars. I don’t like seeing people die, I genuinely believe that humans and  _yokai_  should coexist, not kill each other. Is that an attribute of my weakness? I don’t think so.” 

“In this world it is.” Wakatoshi replied. “You’re too naive.” 

“I’ll show you then, the next time we meet. That people like me could survive in this world. That what I believe in is possible.” Shouyo  said, his voice full of promise. As if it was certain that they’d cross paths again. Wakatoshi sincerely hoped they wouldn’t, because it will most likely plague him that killed someone so innocent as Shouyo. The war had taken enough innocents at it is, it doesn’t need to have another one. 

 “My name is Ushijima Wakatoshi.” Wakatoshi said, “don’t forget the name that would lead you to your demise.”

“I won’t.” Shouyo said. 

Wakatoshi saw how Shouyo’s eyes flared brightly with determination that he only saw once on someone. Perhaps, it were Shouyo, may be it wouldn’t be bad after all. To understand the  _yokai_  instead of hunting them down. Instead of seeking vengeance, he maybe should seek for enlightenment and reformation of the severed bond between humanity and supernatural. 

But those thoughts are for next time. Until then, Wakatoshi would carry out his duty as a soldier of this never ending war. 

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Tengu is a mythical creatures in Japan that is commonly associated to have long noses and a pair of black wings that could either be a god or a mischievous creatures that preys on monks and Buddhists. Yokai, on the other hand, is the term used when referring to supernatural creatures like the tengu. 
> 
> (In this verse, I took the artistic liberty to follow my own AU based on tengu to fit the story. So in this story, tengu are similar to kitsune (fox like creatures) except their maturity shows on how big or how defined their wings are)


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